REGION: Riverside County imposes 10 percent pay cut on officers

Riverside County has declared an impasse in labor talks with the
union that represents 3,000 law enforcement officers, and imposed
on them the equivalent of a 10 percent cut in their base pay,
officials said Monday.

The county also froze indefinitely the opportunity for sheriff's
deputies, investigators, correctional officers and probation
officers to receive raises, said Barbara Olivier, human resources
director.

The forced contract, which will be in place for a year, came as
county and union negotiators remained far apart despite more than
10 bargaining sessions this year to reach a new agreement on
salaries and benefits.

Deputies' old labor contract expired at the end of January.

The head of the union, the Riverside Sheriffs' Association,
cried foul and hinted strongly that the organization will sue over
the matter.

"This was not unexpected," said Pat McNamara, association
president. "We endured nothing but bad-faith tactics from the
county both at the table and away from the table, continuously
since Jan. 5, when negotiations officially commenced."

Olivier disagreed.

"We have done everything within our power to make this a real
fair and honest negotiation, spelling out what our needs are and
the ways that we can get there," Olivier said in a telephone
interview Monday.

She estimated that the imposed contract would save the county
about $28 million between now and June 2012. With a typical cost of
$100,000 a year to pay less-experienced deputies' salaries and
benefits, Olivier said, that will prevent about 280 layoffs.

Sheriff Stan Sniff recently warned that proposed budget cuts for
the fiscal year that begins July 1 would force him to lay off 500
law enforcement officers. Last week, he initiated the termination
of 100 officers.

Supervisor Jeff Stone of Temecula said the imposed contract
should also hold in check cost increases next year for the local
cities ---- Temecula, Wildomar, Menifee, Canyon Lake and Lake
Elsinore ---- that contract with the Sheriff's Department for
police protection.

Supervisor Bob Buster said the county and the deputies union
never got close to agreeing on a new contract.

"The union feels they are above the county's problems," Buster
said.

The county has seen its annual general fund revenue decline 25
percent, from a peak of $785 million in fiscal 2006-07 to $592
million this fiscal year. The county has asked all of its employees
to take the equivalent of a 10 percent cut in their base pay for a
year.

McNamara said the union was willing to do its part to help the
county ride out the economic storm. But he said the sides couldn't
reach agreement because the county was unreasonable.

"Throughout this negotiating cycle, we identified a number of
unfair labor practices which will need to be remedied before
fruitful negotiations can take place in the future," he said by
email Monday.

McNamara said the union's "only recourse" is take the county to
court "to reverse any conditions which are inappropriately imposed
on our members."

The county imposed these terms:

A 2.5 percent reduction in base pay, effective June 2.

Union members will contribute an average of 2.5 percent of
their salary toward health, dental and vision care benefits,
effective June 2. The county will require each officer to
contribute $221.90 a month toward those benefits, while the county
contributes $490.10 a month.

Olivier said the county also suspended the regular step raises,
effective June 2.

A good annual review typically triggers a two-step bump up the
deputy wage scale and a 5.5 percent raise, Olivier said.

She said the county also imposed a pension-benefit reduction for
future hires.

In keeping with the Board of Supervisors' new policy, officers
hired after some point in late June will qualify for pensions equal
to 2 percent of their annual pay for each year worked, instead of
the 3 percent that existing retirees draw.

The county also shifted the eligibility age for retirement to 55
from 50.

McNamara said this is the first time the deputies have had
conditions imposed on them since about 1980, saying supervisors
have "presided over an unprecedented decline in labor relations
within our county."

Stone disagreed.

"I think it was a very fair imposition," Stone said.
"Unfortunately, the RSA had their blinders on during this
negotiation."

Buster said he isn't worried that the imposition will exact
long-term damage on the county's relationship with the
association.

"We've seen that this union will fight everything, every step of
the way," Buster said. "I don't know how much worse that can
get."